Babington, Somerset
Encyclopedia
Babington is a small village between Radstock
and Frome
, Somerset
, England
, which has now largely disappeared.
Hundred,
The village dates from medieval times
but appears to have been largely demolished to make way for the manor house
around 1705. Evidence of the medieval village was found during excavations carried out in 1997.
It is known that the manor was sold by Thomas and Mary Mankham to Joan Elcode, a widow, in a deed dated Easter 1572. The Manor then contained 7 messuage
s, one cottage, 10 tofts, 1 water mill, 10 gardens, 14 orchards, 300 acres (1,214,058 m²) of land, 120 acres (485,623 m²) of meadow, 160 acres (647,498 m²) of pasture, 20 acres (80,937 m²) of wood, 120 acres (485,623 m²) of furze and 4s annual rent and 1 lb of pepper.
was built around 1705 for Henry Mompesson, probably on the foundations of an earlier building. Babington was inherited by successive members of the Knatchbull family until 1952, when the House and immediate grounds were sold. In 2000, it was bought by the Soho House club
, and converted to a hotel, club and wedding venue in 2000.
The Georgian architecture
house is designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building. The 18th-century stable block and coach house have now been made into three separate dwellings. The grounds also contain a listed ice house
and two impressive sets of gates.
is thought to date from 1748 and was probably built by John Strahan
or William Halfpenny
,and is considered to be very similar in conception to Redland Chapel
in Bristol
which was long considered to be by John Strahan but now known to be by William Halfpenny. It is a Grade I listed building. The interior includes an unusual Royal Arms of the Hanoverians on the Rood.
Within the churchyard there are a set of three chest tombs. The monument to John Shute
is dated 1688 and that to Thomas Branch
1779.
Charity Cottage (also known as White Cottage) in Charity Lane dates from the 17th century and was built as three cottages, although they have now been converted into one property.
Radstock
Radstock is a town in Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and had a population of 5,275 according to the 2001 Census...
and Frome
Frome
Frome is a town and civil parish in northeast Somerset, England. Located at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, the town is built on uneven high ground, and centres around the River Frome. The town is approximately south of Bath, east of the county town, Taunton and west of London. In the 2001...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, which has now largely disappeared.
History
The parish of Babington was part of the KilmersdonKilmersdon (hundred)
The Hundred of Kilmersdon is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, dating from before the Norman conquest during the Anglo-Saxon era although exact dates are unknown. Each hundred had a 'fyrd', which acted as the local defence force and a court which was...
Hundred,
The village dates from medieval times
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
but appears to have been largely demolished to make way for the manor house
Babington House
Babington House is a Grade II* listed manor house, located in the village of Babington, between Radstock and Frome, in the county of Somerset, EnglandConverted to a private members club and hotel by Nick Jones, it is currently owned by Soho House Ltd...
around 1705. Evidence of the medieval village was found during excavations carried out in 1997.
It is known that the manor was sold by Thomas and Mary Mankham to Joan Elcode, a widow, in a deed dated Easter 1572. The Manor then contained 7 messuage
Messuage
In law, the term messuage equates to a dwelling-house and includes outbuildings, orchard, curtilage or court-yard and garden. At one time messuage supposedly had a more extensive meaning than that conveyed by the words house or site, but such distinction no longer survives.A capital messuage is the...
s, one cottage, 10 tofts, 1 water mill, 10 gardens, 14 orchards, 300 acres (1,214,058 m²) of land, 120 acres (485,623 m²) of meadow, 160 acres (647,498 m²) of pasture, 20 acres (80,937 m²) of wood, 120 acres (485,623 m²) of furze and 4s annual rent and 1 lb of pepper.
Babington House
The current Babington HouseBabington House
Babington House is a Grade II* listed manor house, located in the village of Babington, between Radstock and Frome, in the county of Somerset, EnglandConverted to a private members club and hotel by Nick Jones, it is currently owned by Soho House Ltd...
was built around 1705 for Henry Mompesson, probably on the foundations of an earlier building. Babington was inherited by successive members of the Knatchbull family until 1952, when the House and immediate grounds were sold. In 2000, it was bought by the Soho House club
Soho House (club)
Soho House is a well-known private members club patronized by those in the arts and media. The original location is at Greek Street, Soho, London, England . There are now nine 'houses' worldwide, found in Babington, Notting Hill, Chiswick, Shoreditch, Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, West...
, and converted to a hotel, club and wedding venue in 2000.
The Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
house is designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building. The 18th-century stable block and coach house have now been made into three separate dwellings. The grounds also contain a listed ice house
Icehouse (building)
Ice houses were buildings used to store ice throughout the year, prior to the invention of the refrigerator. Some were underground chambers, usually man-made, close to natural sources of winter ice such as freshwater lakes, but many were buildings with various types of insulation.During the...
and two impressive sets of gates.
Church
The Church of St MargaretChurch of St Margaret, Babington
The Church of St Margaret within the grounds of Babington House in Babington, Somerset, England is a Grade I listed building.There may have been a Norman building on the site before the current church, which is thought to date from 1748 and was probably built by John Strahan or William Halfpenny,...
is thought to date from 1748 and was probably built by John Strahan
John Strahan
John Strahan was an architect working in Bristol and Bath, England in the early 18th century. He died around 1740.-List of works:* Shakespeare Public House, Bristol * Combe Hay Manor Combe Hay 1728 to 1730* Frampton Court, Frampton-on-Severn...
or William Halfpenny
William Halfpenny
William Halfpenny was an English 18th-century architectural designer; in some of his publications he described himself as "architect and carpenter". He also wrote under the name of Michael Hoare.-Life and architectural work:...
,and is considered to be very similar in conception to Redland Chapel
Redland Chapel
Redland Chapel is a Georgian parish church in the Redland suburb of Bristol, England.It which was built, probably by John Strahan or William Halfpenny, with plasterwork by Thomas Paty, in 1742 as a private chapel for the local manor house, Redland Court, which is now Redland High School, though it...
in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
which was long considered to be by John Strahan but now known to be by William Halfpenny. It is a Grade I listed building. The interior includes an unusual Royal Arms of the Hanoverians on the Rood.
Within the churchyard there are a set of three chest tombs. The monument to John Shute
John Shute
John Shute was an English artist and architect. His book, The First and Chief Grounds of Architecture, was the first work in English on classical architecture. Shute's patron was John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, for whom he built a residential wing at Dudley Castle.- References :*Morris,...
is dated 1688 and that to Thomas Branch
Thomas Branch
Thomas Branch , was an author.Branch was the author of 'Thoughts on Dreaming' , and ' Principia Legis et Æquitatis' . The latter work, which presents in alphabetical order a collection of maxims, definitions, and remarkable sayings in law and equity, has been highly commended as a student's...
1779.
Charity Cottage